Miami Commissioners Give Early Go-Ahead To Formula One Grand Prix

Bruno Junqueira driving the #1 Newman Haas Racing Ford Lola takes the lead at the start of the Grand Prix Americas, round 16 of the C.A.R.T (Championship Auto Racing Teams) ChampCar World Series on September 28,2003 in Miami, Florida. (Source: Darrell Ingham /Getty Images)

MIAMI (AP) — Miami’s city commissioners have voted unanimously to enter formal negotiations with Formula One to host a race as early as next year.

The vote Thursday allows Miami officials to work out a contract with F1 that could be voted on later this summer. It was considered the key step toward establishing a race the global auto racing series has been pushing for as it seeks to expand its footprint in the United States.

A Miami grand prix would give F1 a coveted race in a city with international interest for fans as well as sweeping views of the tropics for a global television broadcast.

Liberty Media, the American company that took over F1 before the 2017 season, has wanted a second race in the U.S. to join the U.S. Grand Prix in Austin, Texas.